NZMS Newsletter May 2018 - Mike Bodger

Memberships 2018: New memberships for 2018 begin on 1st July. I will absent from New Zealand from June 9th to September 11th. One of my activities will be to compete in the Hellespont and Dardanelles Straits swim in Turkey on 30th August. I have booked with SwimTrek.

I would like to make a request to all club secretaries/treasurers that once 2018/2019 memberships are due (from 1st July 2018), clubs send me their lists of swimmers from whom payment is received. Many swimmers will use the online payment facility through “My Page” on the Swimming NZ website. Club secretaries may continue to send me cheques or transfer funds to the NZMS bank account by online banking. The accounting can be done when I return. All swimmer’s profiles and financial status are up to date on the Swimming NZ database (and the NZ Masters Swimming database) but after 1st July we start afresh. The first sanctioned meeting in the 2018/2019 season is the North Island Masters Short Course Champs in Whakatane (see below).

Memberships and Clubs for 2017: In 2017 there were 673 memberships (710 in 2016) but since the 6 months of free membership until 30th June 2018, the membership has increased to 781 to date. The Northern Region has 478 members, the District Region has 92 members, the Central Region has 38 members, the Capital Region has 77 members and the Southern Region has 96 members. The Northern Region, which includes Auckland and Northland accounts for 61% of the membership. Roskill Masters has 101 registered members, followed by North Shore Masters, 83, South City Masters, 72, Manukau Masters, 53 and Waitakere City Masters with 44. Swim360, another Auckland based club, was formed last year and has been very active in recruiting new members and now has 40 registered swimmers.

AGM 2018: To be held at Westwave Aquatic Centre on Friday, 25th May starting at 10am.

2018 National Long Course Championships: The 2018 Long Course Championships are to be hosted by Waitakere City Masters Swimming Club on 25th/26th May at Westwave Aquatic Centre. Entries are now available on the website or through your Swimming NZ 'My Page' athttps://mypage.swimming.org.nz. Entries close 4th May.

Levin Swim Meeting: Levin Masters are holding our Annual Fun Swimmeet on Saturday 16 June 2018 at the Levin Aquatic Centre. As usual the longer distance events – 400m to 1500m – will be held on the Friday night. The entry form is available on the NZ Masters Swimming website.

Taupo Masters Swimming: We have set date for our spring fling (non-sanctioned meet
on 22/23 September 2018. The 800m and 1500m freestyle events will probably be held
on Sunday morning.

North Island Masters Short Course Championships 2018: Whakatane Masters Swimming
will be hosting the event on 12th/13th October. Closest motel accommodation is One88
on Commerce, about 200metres from the Aquatic Centre and about 2km from the CBD

South Island Masters Short Course Championships 2018: A plea for a host club please.Ashburton Masters Club has hosted the previous three meeting.

AGM 2018: To be held at Westwave Aquatic Centre on Friday, 25th May starting at 10am.

A History of Swimming: My own personal recommendation of the book entitled “Haunts
of the Black Masseur, the swimmer as hero” by Charles Sprawson.

Merchandise: “Masters Swimming in New Zealand 1973-2013” a publication by Roger Eagles. Available from the Secretary @$20 plus $5 postage.